2012 Readers' Choice Breakthroughs

What's a 13-letter word for innovations? Breakthroughs. Our readers voted for the year's top innovations, and the winners make looking good as easy as the Monday crossword. Among them, a hair straightener that defies frizz for 72 hours and a sunscreen that sticks to wet skin. (Triple word) score.

How It Works: The anatomy of the mascara wand is the secret weapon here: Tiny "micro-chambers," or grooves, are molded into the bristles and envelop every last hair in the lightweight formula, creating the appearance of dense, high-lift fringe.